Hydraulic swivel



Feb. 26 1924.

H. G. JOHNSTON HYDRAULI C SWIVEL Filed June` l, 1921 ave. 1549.7

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HORACE GREELEY JOHNSTON, OF GORSICANA, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OE FOUR-FIFTHS T GENEVIEVE JOHNSTON AND ONE-FIFTH TO MRS. HOWARD E. CALDWELL, BOTH 0F CORSICANA, TEXAS.

HYDRAULIC SWIVEL.

Application filed June 1, 1921. Serial N0. @34246;

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, HORACE Gf. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the .United States, residing at Corsicana, in the county of Navarro and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Swivels; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others il@ skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates'to suspending devices having swiveled pipe sections particularly designed for use with rotary well drillil@ ing apparatus, and commonly known as hy- .draulic swivels. It comprises improved connections between the usual goose neck and swivel stem adapted to prevent the access of water or other liquid, and the grit 2o that may be contained therein, to the swivel bearings and stung boxes. 1t also comprises details of construction particularly setl forth in the ensuing description, defined in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved hydraulic swivel;

Figure 2 is a central vertical section;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 taken at right angles to the section shown in Figure 2.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, a represents the trunnion block; Z) a housing thereon; c the swivel stem passed centrally through the trunnion block and into the housing; d the goose neck, and c the usual bail or clevis for sustaining the trunnion block.

rl"he trunnion block comprises a body having diametrically opposite trunnions 1 on which are pivoted the perforated ends 2 of the bail e. The ends 2 of the bail are held in place on the trunnions by any suitable means such as disks 3 secured by bolts 4, the margins of the disks overhanging the ends of the trunnions and confining the bail ends 2 on said trunnions.

Trunnion block a is provided with an axial bore of diiierent diameters at di'erent portions of its length through which the swivel stem c is passed, the smallest portion of the bore, at 5, engaging the outside of the swivel Stem. Above the smallest portion 5 is a counter bored chamber 6 adapted to receive bearing rollers 7 and suitable wear or bearing plates 7a and 7b. Above the counter bored chamber 6 is a larger counter bored chamber 8 for receiving the thrust bearing rollers 9 together with the upper and under wear plates 9a and 9b which contact with them. The lower end of the trunnion block below the reduced bore 5 is counterbored from beneath in order to receive packing material, 10, adapted to be compressedin the counter bore by a gland 11 which may be tightened upon the packing by the cap 12 threaded to the exterior of the lower reduced end ofithe trunnion block.

rlhe lower end of the swivel stem c is provided with a nipple 13 having preferably right and left hand threads for connecting the swivel stem with the upper end of the piping with which-the hydraulic swivel is to be used. A heavy shoulder 14, formed integrally with the swivel, rests upon the .thrust bearing within the counter bore 8 and sustains the swivel stem rotatably. Above the shoulder 1li the swivel ystem is slightly reduced in external diameten but the bore therein is of greater diameter for a short distance from its upper extremity, as

shown at 15, than throughout the remainder of its length. ncasing the swivel stem above the trunnion block a is the housing Z) having a anged lower end 16 securely bolted to the upper annular face of the trunnion'block by screw studs 17. A centrally bored base web 18,*and an annular internal flange 19, guide the swivel stem in the housing. A stuffing box comprising a countervvbore or annular seat 18a in the base web of the housing is iilled with packing, which may be confined by an adjustable gland 18b surrounding the swivel stem and secured by studs 18. The gland 18b is therefore in a chamber 20 in the housing formed between the side wall of the housing, the base web 18 and the internal flange 19. Opposite windows 21 render the studs 18 accessible, and allow assemblage and removal of the gland. From the stop ange 19 to the open to of the housing is an enlarged cylindrica bore within which the upper end of the swivel stem terminates. Into the annular space between the inner wall 22 of the housing b above the dang@ 19 and between said wall and the exterior of the swivel stem, an annular eounterbored bearing portion 23 of the goose neck al is seated, the exterior of said annular bearing portion operating in close contact with the inner wall 22 of said chamber. 'lhe interior of said bearing portion 23 is counterbored so as to provide a cavity for the reception of packing material 24e confinedl between the exteriorl of the swivel stem and the inner wall` of said counter bore., Beneath the packing 24 there may be a ring 27 over which the bearing portion 23 may slide. rllhe exterior of the bearing portion of said goose neck is provided with a shoulder 25 with which the flange of screw cap 2G, threaded over the upper end of the housing b engages in order to confine and adjust the bearing portion, thereby compacting thepacking material 24 and making a fluid tight joint.

The bore of the goose neck is reduced at the upper end of the bearing portion and is internally threaded as at 28. A. length of pipe 29, threaded into the threaded portion 28 of the goose neck, extends downward concentrically into the enlarged bore at the upper end of the swivel stem. By this con# centric pipe is Jformed a fluid tight annular chamber, closed at one end by a stuiing box, whereby liquid under pressure, confined in 1the pipe, may pass into said chamber between the exterior wall of pipe section 29 and the interior wall of the swivel stem, compressing air trapped therein, and the trapped compressed air prevents the liquid from reaching the stufiing box and interfering with its operation. An angular oil passage 30 leading from the exterior of the goose neck to the interior space within the goose neck above the upper end of the swivel stem, and which may be closed by a screw plug 31, provides for the injection of heavy lubricant for the purpose of keeping the stuffing box properly lubricated.

K A. nozzle 32 may be united with the outer end of goose neck b by a screw thimble 33 in the usual manner.

By means of the construction described, water and other liquid will be kept from the stufiing boxes so that Said stuffing boxes may be always kept properly supplied with oil maare@ into the housing beyond said flange, a goose 'f' neck having a counter-bored annular bearing portion fitted in the upper end of the housing and surrounding the swivel stem, 4

packing material adapted to be seated in the annular chamber formed by the counter bore about the swivel stem, and a pipe secured to the goose neck and extending therefrom within the bore of the swivel steme 2. ln mechanism of the class described, a

swivel stern having an enlarged bore at one end, a goose neck rotatably mounted over said swivel stem, a stuffing box in the swivel connections between the goose neck and said swivel stem, and a pipe secured fluid tight in the goose neck and extending into the enlarged bore concentric therewith.

3. ln mechanism of the class described, a trunnion block, a housing thereon having an internal flange below its top, a swivel stein extending through the trunnion block and into the housing beyond the flange, a goose neck having a counterbored annular bearing portion fitted in the upper end of the housing and surrounding the swivel stem for.

receiving packing material, an internal shoulder within the goose neck above the end of the swivel stem, a pipe projecting from said internal shoulder into the swivel stem, and a plugged lubricating passage leading from the exterior or the goose neck through the said internal shoulder.

4. ln mechanism of the class described, a housing having a tubular end, a tubular goose neck having one end fitting in the Vtubular end of the housing, a swivel stem fitting within the end of the goose neck, a stuffing box for closing the joint between the swivel stem and goose neck, and a pipe section extending from the goose neck into the swivel stem so as to form any air trap. lin testimony whereof ll aliix my signature. HGRACE GREELEY JQHNSTON. 

